Common Questions about the Wait List

How do I inform Bates of my desire to accept a place on the wait list?In Your Application Status page, please indicate that you wish to remain on the wait list by May 1. You may also send any updates we should add to your application file to admission@bates.edu.

What is the earliest date on which I might hear of admission to Bates?
Typically, admission from the Bates wait list is offered in early May through late June.

What is the latest date on which I might hear?
We make every effort to notify students by June 30. However, August 1 is our final notification date.

How will I be contacted, if I am offered admission to Bates?
An admission counselor will call you.

If offered a place at Bates, how much time will I have to decide?
Students who choose to accept a place on the wait list need to be prepared to accept or decline an offer of admission to Bates on a very short timeline, usually within 72 hours of the offer.

How can I update the information in my application?
Please email the Admission Committee at admission@bates.edu.

How many wait list students will be considered for admission?
This number varies each year depending on the students who chose to remain on the wait list and the number of spaces still open in the class. In recent cycles, the Admission Committee has reviewed as many as 250-300 students on the wait list for spaces made available after May 1.

How many students will be admitted for September from the wait list?
Every year is different. In recent years the number of students offered admission from the wait list has been as low as zero to more than thirty.

Can students admitted from the wait list receive financial aid?
If you are admitted from the wait list and your family has applied for financial aid, your calculated financial need will be fully met by Bates.

Will students admitted from the wait list receive housing?
Yes. Housing at Bates is guaranteed for four years.

Should I pay an enrollment deposit elsewhere even if Bates is my first choice?
Yes. The final outcome of your wait list status cannot be predicted, so you must be sure to meet the deadline for a deposit elsewhere.

What should I do if Bates College offers me admission after I’ve paid a deposit to another institution?
If you decide to accept an offer of admission from Bates, you must immediately notify the institution to which you have paid a deposit. The other institution will then be able to fill that vacancy with a student on their wait list. You may forfeit the deposit at the other institution.